ARGENTINA’S outspoken ambassador is to be invited to Baroness’ Thatcher’s funeral after the intervention of the former premier’s family.

In a gesture of conciliation, Sir Mark Thatcher told organisers that his mother would have regarded inviting Alicia Castro as “good manners” despite Argentina’s continuing vociferous claims to the Falkland Islands.

But Argentina’s president Cristina Kirchner, who has pursued a relentless policy designed to strangle the Falklands’ economy and who is waging a diplomatic offensive to force their surrender to Buenos Aires, will not be on the guest list.

Details emerged despite some press reports claiming that Argentina was not to be invited to the St Paul’s ceremony at the request of Lady Thatcher’s family even though it will be attended by leading politicians from around the world.

But a spokesman for the Thatchers, told the Daily Express: "The family was asked for their opinion on whether Argentine officials should be invited, just as they are being asked about all the details of the funeral.

Argentinian ambassador Alicia Castro will be invited to the funeral

“Sir Mark Thatcher believes that his mother would have wanted the Ambassador of Argentina to be invited because he feels she always deferred to good manners and protocol.

“He was mindful that this is not a political event but a family funeral. So the Argentine ambassador will be invited.”

Despite rising tension over the Falklands, Britain and Argentina have full diplomatic relations and are trading partners.

A Downing Street spokesman confirmed that Mrs Castro will be among those invited but Mrs Kirchner will not be included among world leaders on the guest list because she had no personal connection with Lady thatcher.

He said: "Those invited include family and friends of Lady Thatcher and those who worked with her over the years.

"In agreement with Lady Thatcher's representatives, around 200 states, territories and international organisations are being invited to send an official representative to the funeral service.

Mark Thatcher believes his mother would have wanted the Ambassador to be at her funeral

"We have invited those countries and institutions with whom we have normal diplomatic relations. In addition, there are invitations being made in a personal capacity to some current and former world leaders as well as others from overseas who had a close connection to Baroness Thatcher."

In recent months Ms Kirchner has launched outspoken attacks on British “colonialism” and even tried unsuccessfully to persuade the new Argentinian pope, Pope Francis, to help his homeland win control of the Falklands.

Mrs Kirchner dismissed last month’s poll – in which 99.8 per cent of the Falkland Islanders voted to remain a UK Overseas Territory – as a “parody”.

Mrs Castro is being invited despite her own comments, including describing the referendum as a “ploy” with no legal value.

Margaret Thatcher went to war with Argentina over the Falkland Islands

She said last month: "Negotiations are in the islanders' best interests. We respect their identity and their way of life and that they want to continue to be British. But the territory they occupy is not British."

Britain and Argentina fought a bloody war over the South Atlantic islands in 1982.

Argentina’s military junta invaded the islands but their forces surrendered after the Falklands were retaken by a Royal-Navy-led Task Force despatched by the then Mrs Thatcher.

Britain lost 255 personnel plus three female islanders and Argentina at least 649 personnel in the fighting.

Daily Express is still waiting for a response from the Argentine embassy.